Sunday, March 23, 2014

JACK DANIELS FUDGE



                                                         JACK DANIEL'S FUDGE

5 cups sugar(2 pounds)
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
25 large marshmallows, ripped in half
11.5 oz Ghiradelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup Jack Daniels, or a whiskey you really like. You will be able to really taste it!

1. Whisk whiskey with confectioner’s sugar, and set aside.

2. Foil and butter a 9 x 13 (or larger) baking pan.

3. Put sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Stirring steadily until mixture boils, continue stirring while letting it boil for 3 minutes (time it, this is important). Remove from heat.

4. Add the marshmallows and chocolate, stirring until all of it is melted and blended into the sugar mix.

5. Give whiskey mixture a quick stir, and add it to the pot, stirring until fully incorporated.

6. Pour into a greased pan, and chill. Let mellow for a day before cutting.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Anoush Abour

Ingredients:


1 cup Wheat Pearls (skinless whole wheat)

3 ½ quarts water

1 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup blanched skinned almonds 
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Cloves

Garnish:

Sprinkling of ground Cinnamon


Directions:


1. In a large pot, combine wheat and water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest overnight, this will allow the wheat to plump up.


2. Remove cover. Return to simmer. Simmer the wheat until the water begins to thicken. The lower the simmer, the “whiter” the pudding will remain. After about 1 ½ to 2 hours of simmering, add the sugar and continue to simmer. The pudding will begin to take on a thicker consistency.
3.  When the pudding has slightly cooled down add all the fruits and nuts and mix to blend into the pudding well.  You can eat it warm or cold.

                                         Enjoy!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

How to Make Homemade Yogurt




The people of the middle east and Armenia have been making homemade yogurt for centuries.  It is not only economical, it’s very easy to make.
½ gallon whole milk
½ cup proofing yogurt 
(this is just plain whole milk yogurt with live cultures at room temperature, I always put some left-over yogurt aside to make more yogurt with)

  1. 1.    Rinse a heavy 4quart pot with cold water to prevent scorching, mix often
  1. 2.    Pour the milk in and gently heat on medium-low until the milk just about comes to a boil, frothing and rising in the pot (210 degrees), 30 - 45 minutes
  1. 3.     Remove from the heat immediately. Don’t worry about the skin on top, simply mix it in
  1. 4.    Let the milk cool until you can stick your baby finger in and hold it there to the count of 10 without burning
  1. 5.    Stir in your proofing yogurt, mix it in thoroughly
  1. 6.    Cover the pot, transfer to the oven (turned off) or any warm spot, and lay a kitchen towel over it
  1. 7.     Let the yogurt incubate, undisturbed, overnight. Then chill it for at least a day in the fridge  
  1. 8.    Don’t worry if you notice it’s become watery, that’s just the whey separating from the yogurt, if you want to you can simply soak the whey up with paper towels

How to Make Lebneh



My children always used the Lebneh as a spread on pita bread, it has less calories and less fat content than cream cheese and is healthier for you.

Lebneh is simply strained yogurt.  Place a large colander in the kitchen sink.  Take a clean bed sheet that you no longer use because it’s old, cut it into large square pieces 2’ x 2’ or use large sheets of cheese cloth and place it into the colander with the ends hanging over the edges.  





Pour the yogurt you had previously made into the cloth, pick up from the 4 corners of the cloth and make a hobo bundle tying a secure knot at the top.

Hang this bundle of yogurt from your kitchen faucet overnight so that all the extra moisture in it will drain. Leave the colander underneath the hanging bundle just in case it falls.  If you prefer you can hang the yogurt bundle from a wooden spoon and balance the spoon over a large pot overnight.




In the morning place the Lebneh into a container and refrigerate.  Wash your pieces of cloth and put them away for use next time you make yogurt.





To serve, smooth it onto a plate with the back of a spoon, drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.  It’s great with Kalamata olives, cucumbers, mint, and as always, pita bread.


Enjoy!